Newborn Photography in Summer — What Actually Helps

Summer in London can be glorious. It can also be 32 degrees in a flat with no air conditioning, a three-day-old baby who won't settle, and a very uncomfortable mother at 40 weeks who has been hot since April. I've worked through all of it — here's what I've learned.

Newborns and heat

The first thing to know is that newborns are genuinely harder to settle in warm weather. This isn't just perception — small babies (and small children generally) sleep worse in the heat, the same way adults do. A baby who might drift off beautifully in October can be wide-eyed and unsettled in July, and that's not anyone's fault. It's just heat.

For indoor sessions in warm weather, my first move is to prepare the space before I arrive — opening everything that can be opened to create airflow, while being careful about draughts directly on the baby. If it's 30 degrees or above outside, I'll use light fabric on windows that get direct sun to reduce the temperature without blocking the light entirely. The goal is a room that feels calm, not a room that's been turned into a fridge.

Cool water nearby, light clothing, and patience are the main tools. Synthetic fabrics trap heat — natural fibres breathe better. And sometimes a session simply needs to move more slowly than usual, with more time between setups to let the baby resettle.

Outdoor sessions — timing is everything

For outdoor family sessions or any location work, I schedule around the heat rather than fighting it. In summer I strongly prefer early morning or after 7pm — the light is better at both ends of the day anyway, and the temperature is manageable. Midday and early afternoon in direct sun are not the time for a newborn, a heavily pregnant woman, or honestly anyone holding a camera.

For outdoor sessions with children and families: water, shade, light-coloured clothing, sandals or bare feet, and sunscreen are non-negotiable. I'll always flag the timing when we're booking, and if the forecast shows extreme heat on the day, we talk.

For pregnant mothers in summer

Late pregnancy in the heat is its own kind of endurance. By the third trimester, the body runs warm regardless of the weather — add July or August and it can feel genuinely overwhelming.

During my own pregnancy, I spent a significant amount of time at the pool. Not to exercise particularly, just to exist in water, which is the most effective way I know to feel like a human being again when you're heavily pregnant and it's 28 degrees outside. If you're in your third trimester this summer: find a pool, go often, don't feel like you need to justify it.

For maternity sessions in the heat, I work with what the body needs rather than against it. We take breaks. We choose the coolest part of the day. Lightweight, natural fabrics photograph beautifully and are far more comfortable than structured or synthetic options. If something isn't working physically, we adjust — the session adapts to you, not the other way around.

The honest version

Summer sessions are absolutely possible and often produce beautiful work — the light in early morning and evening is some of the best of the year. But they take more flexibility than sessions in milder weather, and I'd rather build that flexibility in from the start than pretend the heat isn't a factor.

If you're planning a session this summer and have questions about timing or what to expect, I'm happy to talk it through.

For newborn session details and pricing, you can find everything here →